Hear WEEZER's Cover Version Of METALLICA's 'Enter Sandman'

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of METALLICA’s self-titled album, the Grammy-winning, 16-times-platinum-certified LP is receiving its definitive re-release on September 10 via the band’s own Blackened Recordings. Remastered for ultimate sound quality, The Black Album remaster will be available in multiple configurations including 180-gram double vinyl LP, standard CD and 3 CD expanded edition, digital, and limited-edition deluxe box set (containing the album remastered on 180-gram 2LP, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, demos, interviews, live shows), 6 DVDs (containing outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos, live shows), a 120-page hardcover book, four tour laminates, three lithos, three guitar picks, a METALLICA lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets, and a download card).

Much more than a mere tribute album, “The Metallica Blacklist” celebrates the enduring influence of this musical milestone with one of the most ambitious projects ever conceived by the METALLICA team: An unprecedented 50+ artists spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite Black Album cut.

“The Metallica Blacklist” offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to METALLICA — and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes. “The Metallica Blacklist”‘s 53 tracks find singer songwriters, country artists, electronic and hip hop artists sharing their love of these songs alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many, many more… and for 50+ good causes: Profits will be divided evenly between charities of the artist’s choice and METALLICA’s All Within My Hands foundation.

“The Metallica Blacklist” is a fitting and limitless homage, one that features bands who’ve shared stages with METALLICA alongside artists who are younger than the original album. It’s a truly staggering, at times mystifying assemblage of musicians, dozens of whom have little to nothing in common other than the shared passion for the music that’s united them for this album: 1 Album. 12 Songs. 53 Artists. Unlimited Possibilities.

“The Metallica Blacklist” will be available in formats including digital, four-CD and a limited-edition seven-LP vinyl pressing. Pre-orders will instantly receive multi-platinum selling recording artist, songwriter, philanthropist and trailblazer Miley Cyrus’s version of “Nothing Else Matters” featuring Andrew Watt, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith, and Colombian-born rock/pop superstar, and winner of 20+ Grammy and Latin Music Grammy Awards Juanes’s interpretation of “Enter Sandman”.

All profits from “The Metallica Blacklist” will be split evenly between the All Within My Hands foundation and 50+ charities chosen by the artists who play on the album. All Within My Hands was founded by the band in 2017 as a way for the entire METALLICA family to give back to communities that have supported the band by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.

“The Metallica Blacklist” features the following tracks:

* ALESSIA CARA & THE WARNING – Enter Sandman
* MAC DEMARCO – Enter Sandman
* GHOST – Enter Sandman
* JUANES – Enter Sandman
* RINA SAWAYAMA – Enter Sandman
* WEEZER – Enter Sandman
* SAM FENDER – Sad But True (Live)
* JASON ISBELL – Sad But True
* MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND FEAT. LA PERLA & GERA MX – Sad But True
* ROYAL BLOOD – Sad But True
* ST. VINCENT – Sad But True
* WHITE REAPER – Sad But True
* YB – Sad But True
* BIFFY CLYRO – Holier Than Thou
* THE CHATS – Holier Than Thou
* OFF! – Holier Than Thou
* PUP – Holier Than Thou
* COREY TAYLOR – Holier Than Thou
* CAGE THE ELEPHANT – The Unforgiven
* VISHAL DADLANI, DIVINE, SHOR POLICE – The Unforgiven
* DIET CIG – The Unforgiven
* FLATBUSH ZOMBIES FEAT. DJ SCRATCH – The Unforgiven
* HA*ASH – The Unforgiven
* JOSÉ MADERO – The Unforgiven
* MOSES SUMNEY – The Unforgiven
* J BALVIN – Wherever I May Roam
* CHASE & STATUS FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – Wherever I May Roam
* THE NEPTUNES – Wherever I May Roam
* JON PARDI – Wherever I May Roam
* SEBASTIAN – Don’t Tread On Else Matters
* PORTUGAL. THE MAN FEAT. AARON BEAM – Don’t Tread On Me
* VOLBEAT – Don’t Tread On Me
* THE HU – Through The Never
* TOMI OWÓ – Through The Never
* PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Nothing Else Matters
* MILEY CYRUS FEAT. WATT, ELTON JOHN, YO-YO MA, ROBERT TRUJILLO, CHAD SMITH – Nothing Else Matters
* DAVE GAHAN – Nothing Else Matters
* MICKEY GUYTON – Nothing Else Matters
* DERMOT KENNEDY – Nothing Else Matters
* MON LAFERTE – Nothing Else Matters
* IGOR LEVIT – Nothing Else Matters
* MY MORNING JACKET – Nothing Else Matters
* PG ROXETTE – Nothing Else Matters
* DARIUS RUCKER – Nothing Else Matters
* CHRIS STAPLETON – Nothing Else Matters
* TRESOR – Nothing Else Matters
* GOODNIGHT, TEXAS – Of Wolf And Man
* IDLES – The God That Failed
* IMELDA MAY – the god that failed
* CHERRY GLAZERR – My Friend Of Misery
* IZÏA – My Friend Of Misery
* KAMASI WASHINGTON – My Friend Of Misery
* RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – The Struggle Within

Two new instant-gratification tracks now available with “The Metallica Blacklist” album pre-orders: WEEZER’s take on “Enter Sandman” and Tomi Owó’s version of “Through The Never”. They can be heard below.

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DUSTY HILL's Widow Thanks Fans For Their Support Following ZZ TOP Bassist's Death

Charleen McCrory, the widow of ZZ TOP’s Dusty Hill, has offered her first public comments since the bassist’s death.

On Monday (August 2), McCrory released a statement via ZZ TOP’s social media thanking fans, friends and colleagues for their “overwhelming outpouring of love” following the passing of her husband.

She wrote: “After 19 wonderful years of marriage that ended too soon, I’ve decided to step out into Dusty’s spotlight to thank all of his fans, colleagues and friends for the overwhelming outpouring of love for The Dust. It makes me hopeful he will not be forgotten.

“He was the kindest, most gentle and caring man a woman could ever hope to find in a lifetime. Many don’t believe in fairy tale marriages but Dusty and I truly lived one! We were inseparable.

“He wasn’t supposed to leave me or all of you. That wasn’t the plan he and I had. The plan was for another round of physical therapy, with a different approach, to help his chronic bursitis. The plan was he would return to the second leg of the tour in September.

“Early Wednesday morning my world and yours would lose a great musician and I would lose my greatest love. He woke me up and we talked and as he was sweetly chatting with me he suddenly stopped and he was gone in an instant. So, while I feel numb and lost and alone and in a million pieces, I know he will always be with me in my heart and soul and I will join him when the Lord calls me home to be with them. It is my hope you will always keep him in your hearts. He loved his fans and always remembered that without fans music is not heard. So, know he truly appreciated each and every one of you.

“Dusty was an avid tv and movie buff…always quoting lines and so I share an embellished quote from ‘This Is Us’ as my last love letter I send with him to his final resting place.

“My Sweet Dusty,

“The single most extraordinary thing I have ever done in my life is fall in love with you. The single most extraordinary gift I have ever received in my life was for you to ask me to marry you. I have never been seen so completely, loved so passionately and protected so fiercely.

“I will be with you again.

“Love you to infinity and back.

“Your wife, Chuck

“I will lay my husband to rest tomorrow. I would ask that you look to the heavens at noon and wish Dusty Godspeed.

“With great love, respect and appreciation to Dusty’s fans, colleagues and friends,

“Mrs. The Dust”

ZZ TOP played its first show following Hill’s death on July 30 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. illing in for Hill at the Tuscaloosa show was ZZ TOP’s longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis, who has worked with the band for more than two decades. According to the band, Francis will continue to play bass for ZZ TOP for the foreseeable future.

ZZ TOP canceled a show on July 28 in South Carolina after learning that the 72-year-old Hill had died at his Houston, Texas home.

Francis made his live debut with ZZ TOP on July 23 at the Village Commons in New Lenox, Illinois after Hill was forced to return to Texas to address a hip issue.

On July 21, ZZ TOP canceled its concert in Evansville, Indiana because of a “health issue within the band,” according to local news outlet Evansville Courier & Press.

ZZ TOP kicked off its latest tour three weeks ago in Manchester, Iowa. The trek, dubbed “A Celebration With ZZ Top”, will continue in August with dates in the South, Midwest and Far West.

When ZZ TOP announced the tour, Hill — who joined the band a year after its formation in 1969 — commented: “They shut the door right after our 50th-anniversary tour and now it’s back open. We’re excited to get out there and play our music for everybody.”

After 19 wonderful years of marriage that ended too soon, I’ve decided to step out into Dusty’s spotlight to thank all…

Posted by ZZ Top on Monday, August 2, 2021

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THE OFFSPRING Drummer Claims He Was Fired For Refusing To Take COVID-19 Vaccine Due To His Pre-Existing Conditions

Drummer Pete Parada says that was fired by THE OFFSPRING for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Parada, who had been in THE OFFSPRING for nearly a decade and a half, claims to be following the advice of his doctor who said that he should not get the jab due to his pre-existing conditions.

Pete broke the news of his exit from THE OFFSPRING in a social media post on Monday (August 2). He wrote: “I’ve got some unfortunate and difficult news to share. I know many of my close friends and family would’ve preferred to hear this privately first — and I apologize for the public nature of my disclosure, but I don’t know how to have this conversation multiple times.

“Given my personal medical history and the side-effect profile of these jabs, my doctor has advised me not to get a shot at this time.

“I caught the virus over a year ago, it was mild for me — so I am confident I’d be able to handle it again, but I’m not so certain I’d survive another post-vaccination round of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which dates back to my childhood and has evolved to be progressively worse over my lifetime. Unfortunately for me, (and my family — who is hoping to keep me around a bit longer) the risks far outweigh the benefits.

“Since I am unable to comply with what is increasingly becoming an industry mandate — it has recently been decided that I am unsafe to be around, in the studio, and on tour. I mention this because you won’t be seeing me at these upcoming shows.

“I also want to share my story so that anyone else experiencing the agony and isolation of getting left behind right now — knows they’re not entirely alone.

“I have no negative feelings towards my band. They’re doing what they believe is best for them, while I am doing the same. Wishing the entire OFFSPRING family all the best as they get back at it!

“I’m heartbroken not to be seeing my road community, and I will miss connecting with the fans more than I can express in words.

“While my reason for not getting this jab is medical, I want to make sure I’m not carving out a space that is only big enough for me. I need to state, unequivocally, that I support informed consent — which necessitates choice unburdened by coercion.

“I do not find it ethical or wise to allow those with the most power (government, corporations, organizations, employers) to dictate medical procedures to those with the least power.

“There are countless folks (like me) for whom these shots carry a greater risk than the virus. Most of us don’t publicly share a private decision we made in careful consideration with our doctors. We know it’s not an easy conversation to unfold.

“If it looks like half the population is having a shockingly different reaction to these jabs than was expected — it’s probably because their life experiences have actually been shockingly different, and their reasons range from a conscientious risk/benefit analysis, to the financial inability to take time off work/lack of health care in the event of potential side-effects, to an understandable distrust in a system that has never prioritized the health or well-being of their communities.

“I hope we can learn to make room for all the perspectives and fears that are happening currently. Let’s avoid the unfortunate tendency to dominate, dehumanize and shout down at each other. The hesitant population is not a monolithic group. All voices deserve to be heard.

“In the meantime, I’m in the midst of launching a project and releasing some music with my daughter, so please stay tuned for all of that. I deeply appreciate your understanding and support as my family and I find a new way forward.

“Sending love to everyone who has been impacted by this pandemic, in all the ways lives have been lost and altered.”

Three months ago, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan “Dexter” Holland spoke to Tom Power, host of “Q” on Canada’s CBC Radio One, about his band’s decision to encourage fans to receive their COVID-19 vaccines by reworking the chorus of their 1994 classic “Come Out And Play” to say “you gotta go get vaccinated.” The new version of the song was shared in March on THE OFFSPRING’s Instagram, featuring a snippet from the song’s music video with the reworked lyrics.

Holland said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I went to school for this. I feel like I have a little bit of a background in it, and I do think it’s a good idea [to get the COVID-19 vaccine]. And whatever you think about all this, the truth is that we’re not gonna get back to normal until people get vaccinated; that’s just the reality of it. So why don’t we just get this done with so that we can all go to shows again and do the things that we love to do. That was kind of the reasoning behind it. And I do feel like it’s the right thing to do. I felt strongly enough to put this out.”

Asked about the fan response to the new version of “Come Out And Play”, Dexter said: “There’s been a little bit of a mixed reaction. I was a little more surprised than I thought I would be… There were a lot of people that were surprisingly kind of angry about it. But that’s where we’re at — we are in maybe the most divisive period in our nation’s history, if not the world’s history, and this is kind of par for the course.

“On a scientific or factual level, it’s frustrating [to see people who are vaccine hesitant],” he continued. “On a personal level, I understand. People are unsure about certain things. And there could still be some sort of crazy side effect that we don’t know about. I think that’s unlikely, given how many millions of doses have been administered. But besides that, there’s all this conflicting information on the Internet. Again, another sign of our times where people are getting just bombarded with all this conflicting information, and it’s hard to know what to do sometimes.”

Although the COVID-19 vaccine was produced quickly because of the urgency of the health crisis and the number of clinical trial volunteers, Holland says the vaccine was not rushed, and it relies on years of research.

“With the vaccine, I know there’s a lot of belief out there that, ‘Well, these were developed too quickly,'” he said. “I think part of the story that’s not out there is that there’s a whole platform of technology that’s been developed over the last five years or so that was happening — the mRNA vaccines. They were working on this for flu vaccines over the last five — really, almost 10 years — but the last five years. So this great technology happened to be right on deck when this happened. And that’s what allowed it to be quickly adapted to the coronavirus. So it’s not as quick as everyone thinks.”

Holland has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and wrote his thesis on microRNA in HIV genomes. The 175-page research paper, titled “Identification of Human MicroRNA-Like Sequences Embedded within the Protein-Encoding Genes of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus”, had been published in PLoS One. Holland had received his Ph.D. from University of Southern California in 2017.

Released in 1994, “Come Out And Play” was THE OFFSPRING’s alternative radio and MTV breakthrough hit, kicking off a mid-to-late nineties streak of success, including albums “Smash”, “Ixnay On The Hombre” and “Americana”, which have helped the band shift more than 17 million albums to date, per MRC Data.

THE OFFSPRING’s tenth studio album, “Let The Bad Times Roll”, arrived on April 16 via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012’s “Days Go By” was once again produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band’s previous two LPs.

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A post shared by Pete Parada (@peteparada)

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TREMONTI Drops Music Video For 'Marching In Time' Title Track

World-renowned guitarist/songwriter Mark Tremonti will release the fifth album from his solo band TREMONTI, titled “Marching In Time”, on September 24, 2021 via Napalm Records. The official music video for the LP’s second single, the title track, can be seen below. The song clocks in at 7:34 and tells the story of a father having a child during a global pandemic and how he prepares for life during that time — something Tremonti recently experienced in his own life.

Tremonti is no stranger to storytelling. Throughout his years with top-charting bands ALTER BRIDGE and CREED, and most recently his solo band, Mark has never strayed from his love of writing memorable songs. With “Marching In Time”, the band looks to continue this trend while exploring their love for heavy music, drawing from current events from the last year to form the basis of each song. While its predecessor, “A Dying Machine”, was an overall concept album seeped in darker sentiments and story, the vibe of “Marching In Time” is different — emerging as a charging rock/metal offering that takes the listener on 12 individual journeys.

From the driving drum beat of opener “A World Away” to the epic closer “Marching In Time”, the new album is a reflective look at the world around us today. TREMONTI’s unmatched musicianship bleeds through the album, showcased on tracks like “Thrown Further”, “In One Piece” and the thought-provoking “Would You Kill”. Alternatively, the band displays their softer side on pensive tracks “The Last One Of Us” and “Not Afraid to Lose”. Epic title track “Marching In Time” tells the story of a father having a child during a global pandemic and how he prepares for life during that time — something Mark Tremonti recently experienced in his own life — while upcoming single “If Not For You” shows the evolution of the TREMONTI sound in 2021.

“Marching In Time” was produced by longtime friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette — the producer Mark has worked with exclusively since 2007.

“Marching In Time” track listing:

01. A World Away
02. Now And Forever
03. If Not For You
04. Thrown Further
05. Let That Be Us
06. The Last One Of Us
07. In One Piece
08. Under The Sun
09. Not Afraid To Lose
10. Bleak
11. Would You Kill
12. Marching In Time

TREMONTI will hit the road in advance of the release of “Marching In Time”, starting on September 3 in the U.S. with longtime friends SEVENDUST.

Photo credit: Scott Diussa

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BREAKING BENJAMIN Announces September Shows With PAPA ROACH

BREAKING BENJAMIN will team up with PAPA ROACH for a handful of dates later this summer. Also appearing on the bill will be MEMPHIS MAY FIRE.

The shows kick off in Gilford, New Hampshire on September 11 at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, with stops in Columbus, Scranton and more, before wrapping up on September 22 at the Mountain Health Arena in Huntington, West Virginia.

Fans can get early access to VIP packages and tickets via the BREAKING BENJAMIN fan club starting Wednesday, August 4 at 10 a.m. local time to Thursday, August 5 at 10 p.m. local time and during the artist presale which starts Wednesday, August 4 at 2 p.m. local time to Thursday, August 5 at 10 p.m. local time.

Tickets are available to the general public starting on Friday, August 6 at 10 a.m. local time at BreakingBenjamin.com.

Tour dates:

Sep. 11 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion^*
Sep. 12 – Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Theater*^
Sep. 14 – Columbus, OH – Express Live!*
Sep. 15 – Toledo, OH – Huntington Center
Sep. 17 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena*
Sep. 18 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
Sep. 21 – Youngstown, OH – Covelli Centre
Sep. 22 – Huntington, WV – Mountain Health Arena

^ PAPA ROACH not on this date
* Not a Live Nation date

BREAKING BENJAMIN are no strangers to the upper echelons of the rock charts. Since bursting onto the scene with 2002’s “Saturate”, the band has amassed an impressive string of mainstream rock radio hits, with ten songs hitting #1, numerous platinum and multi-platinum songs and albums, 8.5 billion combined streams worldwide and a social imprint of over 6.5 million — a testament to the band’s global influence and loyal fan base. Their most recent release, “Aurora”, gave BREAKING BENJAMIN their 10th #1 song at rock radio with “Far Away ft. Scooter Ward”. BREAKING BENJAMIN’s last studio album, “Ember”, debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and marked the multiplatinum band’s fourth Top 5 debut on the Billboard Top 200, following 2015’s #1 debut for “Dark Before Dawn” (gold), 2009’s “Dear Agony” (platinum) at #4 and 2006’s “Phobia” (platinum) at #2. “Ember” spun off two #1 hits at Active Rock Radio with “Red Cold River” and “Torn In Two”. “Aurora” and “Ember” charted Top 10 across numerous countries worldwide and topping #1 charts across multiple genres, including Top Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums and Top Digital Albums.

PAPA ROACH, the iconic California rock band, is kicking open the door to a new chapter of their career with the release of “Swerve”, a high-octane, swagger-packed thrill ride featuring the outspoken frontman of FEVER 333, Jason Aalon Butler, and rising LA-based rapper Sueco. The track premiered Sunday night on the BBC Radio 1 “Rock Show With Daniel P. Carter” and is available now for streaming.

PAPA ROACH have been one of the leaders in alternative rock for 20 years and continue to impact that space with consistent, genre-bending releases, the latest being “Swerve”. The two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band, who in 2020 celebrated 20 years since their debut album “Infest”, have sold over 20 million records worldwide, garnered over two billion streams to date, and charted 20 Top 5 hit singles and eight #1 hit singles on three different radio formats (Active Rock, Alternative and Top 40), further solidifying PAPA ROACH as one of the most consistently successful rock bands of their era.

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WENDY DIO Says There Weren't Any Problems Between RONNIE JAMES DIO And OZZY OSBOURNE

Ronnie James Dio’s wife and manager Wendy Dio spoke to Trevor Joe Lennon about the legendary heavy metal singer’s just-released memoir, “Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography”, which she, along with writer Mick Wall, completed after Ronnie’s death. Asked if there was “peace” between Ronnie and the man he replaced in BLACK SABBATH, Ozzy Osbourne, in the later years, Wendy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I don’t think there was ever really a lot of problems there. They both did their own thing, and they both were successful at it. Maybe Don Arden [Sharon Osbourne’s father and former manager for both Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH] had some problems there in the beginning when Ronnie was in BLACK SABBATH, but I don’t think there was any bad blood between [Ronnie and Ozzy].

“The press tries to make bad blood all the time about everybody — they’re trying to get people to fight with each other, ’cause it’s good for press or whatever,” she continued.

“No, I don’t think [there were any issues between Ronnie and Ozzy]. We just didn’t run in the same circles.”

This past April, former BLACK SABBATH, DIO and HEAVEN & HELL drummer Vinny Appice told “Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley” that not all SABBATH fans embraced Ronnie when he first joined the band. “Ronnie had to put up with people in the front, like ‘Where’s Ozzy?’ signs and all this ‘Where’s Ozzy?’ stuff, and he had to do that,” he said. “And he hated singing those songs — he hated singing ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Sweet Leaf’ and the Ozzy songs. That’s why eventually [SABBATH reformed as] HEAVEN & HELL years later, so we didn’t play the old [Ozzy-era] stuff anymore.”

In a 2009 interview with U.K.’s Absolute Radio, Ronnie said that BLACK SABBATH’s decision to reunite as HEAVEN & HELL in 2006 with him on vocals was done in part “to differentiate us from the SABBATH that had come before. What it really did was this — it allayed this: ‘Hey, play ‘Iron Man’,” he explained. “We didn’t have to worry about that or feel bad about not playing those songs — about playing ‘Iron Man’ or ‘Paranoid’ or ‘Black Sabbath’ or ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ — we didn’t have to do that, because we tried to differentiate ourselves by a timeline and by a name that, of course, that spoke so much of… You think of HEAVEN & HELL, you usually think of that song, so now you think of this band. And I think it was wonderful that it worked so well.”

Asked if ever felt an obligation to play some of the Ozzy-era SABBATH songs, especially at various European festivals, as a way of letting the audience know, “This is what we’re famous for,” Ronnie said: “Well, it’s not what I was famous for, and I’m part of this band. I mean, I don’t hear Ozzy doing ‘Heaven And Hell’, so why should I do the other songs? And I think that’s very sensible. We come from different generations of SABBATH — the two generations that were most important, I think. And no, I think we tried so hard to call this band a different name, that why go back and relate to that? It makes us really seem [like] hypocrites, I think, to do that.”

Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH in 1980, recording the “Heaven And Hell” and “Mob Rules” albums, plus “Live Evil”, before leaving in 1982. He rejoined the group 10 years later for an album called “Dehumanizer”, and again teamed with the group under the HEAVEN & HELL banner. HEAVEN & HELL released an album called “The Devil You Know” in 2009.

Ronnie passed away of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer was diagnosed with cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

“Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography” was released on July 27 via Permuted Press.

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SWALLOW THE SUN Announces New Studio Album 'Moonflowers'

Finnish death doom metallers SWALLOW THE SUN will release a new album called “Moonflowers” on November 19. Along with some of the album formats, there will also come a full bonus album featuring very special instrumental versions of all the regular album tracks. This instrumental album has been composed for strings and recorded at Sipoo Church in Finland. The strings were performed by the group called TRIO NOX from Finland.

Starting today, all these instrumental songs will be launched as animated videos, which were created by Dronicon Films — one by one every week, leading up to the first single release of the main album.

Guitarist Juha Raivio comments: “I know well that I should not say this, but I deeply hate this album. I hate where it takes me, how it makes me feel and what it stands for me personally. I wish it wouldn’t. But for all its honesty, I got no option than also love it. That is all that matters to me with the music anyway and it doesn’t matter how it makes me feel, as long as it does. For me this album is like a mirror of a deep self-disappointment. Even I still want to believe that there is and could be more than this in me. But I don’t need or want to talk more about it. After all music means so different things to each one of us by how we have walked our own paths, and that is a beautiful thing about music. There is no right or wrong.

“After I had finished writing all the music for this record in the fall of 2020 I started to write these small instrumental versions of the album songs for the violin, viola, cello and piano. Mostly because I was wondering how it would feel like to hear all these songs first as these intimate versions instead of a full band album. It was really beautiful to see and hear these songs come alive in this way and form, recorded live in this big church in Finland. To be able to hear the echoes of this music reflecting from the church walls and feel the very soul of these old wooden instruments played by real people in this sacred place. Something about hearing the strings breathe this fragile beauty into these songs that carry so much pain otherwise. Now looking back, maybe I wrote these versions just for myself to be able to hear and feel at least some kind of a beauty and solace in these songs, maybe…

“I wanted to create the cover art of this album myself this time, so it would stand as brutally honest for me as the music is. So I painted the moon on the ‘Moonflowers’ cover with my own blood and I decorated it with the flowers I picked up and dried on the spring of 2016. Maybe it isn’t the most outstanding looking piece of art ever made in this world, but for me it is everything. I wasn’t going to write any new music before I would have moved towards the right direction in my life, but finally all this music just forced itself out of me during the long nights of this hope crushing and neverending lockdown prison. Something grew out from that void eventually and writing these songs made me think a lot about moonflowers that bloom at the darkest hour of the night, so that name felt right to call the album also.”

“Moonflowers” track listing:

01. Moonflowers Bloom In Misery
02. Enemy
03. Woven Into Sorrow
04. Keep Your Heart Safe From Me
05. All Hallows’ Grieve (featuring Cammie Gilbert)
06. The Void
07. The Fight Of Your Life
08. This House Has No Home

Raivio further states: “In other news, unfortunately our busy brother Jaani will step aside from the band at least for this new album cycle, but we are happy to tell that you can hear Jaani’s backing vocals on the new album anyway.”

Jaani Peuhu adds: “Sadly, coronavirus messed up everything, including the release schedules of my bands. Both the MERCURY CIRCLE and SWALLOW THE SUN albums are being released at the same time, making it impossible for me to tour with both bands. For this reason, I decided that it’d be better for me to solely focus on MERCURY CIRCLE for this release cycle. That being said, the upcoming SWALLOW THE SUN album will be amazing, and I am so happy we could still do it together. I wish the best of luck to SWALLOW THE SUN on their tour with it!”

SWALLOW THE SUN is:

Juha Raivio – guitars
Matti Honkonen – bass
Mikko Kotamäki – vocals
Juuso Raatikainen – drums
Juho Räihä – guitars

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BUTCHER BABIES Are Not Offended By 'Female-Fronted' Label: 'We Have A Club'

In a new interview with Heavy New York, Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey of BUTCHER BABIES’ discussed whether they feel the term “female-fronted,” which is used to lump together disparate bands based on the presence of a female vocalist or frontperson, is empowering or restrictive. Carla said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I think it discounts the men in the band. Just because you have a female vocalist doesn’t mean you’re a female metal band. But it is what it is. And if it brings someone in the door and they find our music because of that, then whatever.”

Added Heidi: “You’re absolutely right about that, Carla. That’s something that always bugs me, because Henry [Flury, BUTCHER BABIES guitarist and Heidi’s boyfriend] is one of the very few good eight-string guitar players in metal at all — in any genre, really. And he doesn’t really get that recognition that he deserves because people are so focused on, ‘Oh, it’s female-fronted.'”

She continued: “I don’t necessarily hate the term — I don’t really care anymore. When we first started, of course, we were, like, ‘Don’t say that.’ Now I don’t look at it as a negative thing; I look at it as this is, and has been, a movement that we’ve been a part of for 12 years now. So I’m not looking at this kind of offended that people would say ‘female-fronted.’ To me, like I said, it’s a movement. So, that’s fine. We sound different than DOROTHY. DOROTHY sounds different than ARCH ENEMY and all these girls that are in the industry. Even though we sound different, we have created this little girls’ club where we support each other. Even the female guitar player Nita Strauss, she said something to me one time that really hit me hard was, ‘Queens straighten each other’s crowns.’ And I’ll never forget that, because that’s the reality of how it’s been for us our entire careers. We’ve all gotten along with the girls in the bands and always been the supportive ones cheering each other on. And that’s a beautiful thing. So I’m not offended by the term ‘female-fronted,’ because I look at it as such a positive thing. We have a club. We all sound different, but we have a club, and we support each other.”

Last month, BUTCHER BABIES announced a headlining tour, “Butcher Babies Vs. Goliath”, which will feature the band performing its debut album, “Goliath” — released in 2013 via Century Media Records — in its entirety along with recent hit singles and new material. The tour will stretch from August 28 to October 8 and will see the group stop at several of the largest U.S. rock festivals, including Rocklahoma, Louder Than Life, Aftershock and more. Shepherd and Harvey will continue to showcase fellow leading ladies by enlisting support from female-fronted acts INFECTED RAIN and STITCHED UP HEART. KALEIDO will also appear on select dates.

Hailing from the City of Angels, BUTCHER BABIES have released two EPs and three albums to date, with their latest 2017 LP, “Lilith”, debuting at #1 on iTunes Metal chart and #7 on iTunes Rock chart. The band kicked off 2021 by independently releasing a handful of newly energized singles produced and co-written by Matt Good (FROM FIRST TO LAST), including the most recent track “Last Dance” in April. Along with previously released singles “Yorktown”, “Sleeping With The Enemy” and “Bottom Of A Bottle”, all are to be featured on their upcoming self-released EP.

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METALLICA Shares Previously Unreleased 1992 Live Recording Of 'Through The Never'

METALLICA has shared “Through The Never (Sacramento, CA – January 11, 1992)”, taken from the “Live At Arco Arena” 3CD included in the remastered deluxe box set of its self-titled fifth album — also known as “The Black Album” — due on September 10 via the band’s own Blackened Recordings. The track was recorded live at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California on January 11, 1992. Check it out below.

The Black Album is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed records of all time. Its 1991 release not only gave METALLICA its first No. 1 album in no fewer than 10 countries, including a four-week run at No. 1 in the U.S., its unrelenting series of singles — “Enter Sandman”, “The Unforgiven”, “Nothing Else Matters”, “Wherever I May Roam” and “Sad But True” — fueled the band’s rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status. The album’s reception from the press was similarly charged, building over the years from the top 10 of the 1991 Village Voice Pazz & Jop national critics poll to becoming a constant presence in the likes of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. The album’s impact and relevance continue to grow — as proven by one indisputable fact: The Black Album remains unchallenged as the best-selling album in the history of Nielsen SoundScan, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30 years.

To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the Grammy-winning, 16-times-platinum-certified Black Album is receiving its definitive re-release. Remastered for ultimate sound quality, The Black Album remaster will be available in multiple configurations including 180-gram double vinyl LP, standard CD and 3 CD expanded edition, digital, and limited-edition deluxe box set (containing the album remastered on 180-gram 2LP, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, demos, interviews, live shows), 6 DVDs (containing outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos, live shows), a 120-page hardcover book, four tour laminates, three lithos, three guitar picks, a METALLICA lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets, and a download card).

Much more than a mere tribute album, “The Metallica Blacklist” celebrates the enduring influence of this musical milestone with one of the most ambitious projects ever conceived by the METALLICA team: An unprecedented 50+ artists spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite Black Album cut.

“The Metallica Blacklist” offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to METALLICA — and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes. “The Metallica Blacklist”‘s 53 tracks find singer songwriters, country artists, electronic and hip hop artists sharing their love of these songs alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many, many more… and for 50+ good causes: Profits will be divided evenly between charities of the artist’s choice and METALLICA’s All Within My Hands foundation.

“The Metallica Blacklist” is a fitting and limitless homage, one that features bands who’ve shared stages with METALLICA alongside artists who are younger than the original album. It’s a truly staggering, at times mystifying assemblage of musicians, dozens of whom have little to nothing in common other than the shared passion for the music that’s united them for this album: 1 Album. 12 Songs. 53 Artists. Unlimited Possibilities.

“The Metallica Blacklist” will be available in formats including digital, four-CD and a limited-edition seven-LP vinyl pressing.

All profits from “The Metallica Blacklist” will be split evenly between the All Within My Hands foundation and 50+ charities chosen by the artists who play on the album. All Within My Hands was founded by the band in 2017 as a way for the entire METALLICA family to give back to communities that have supported the band by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.

“The Metallica Blacklist” features the following tracks:

* ALESSIA CARA & THE WARNING – Enter Sandman
* MAC DEMARCO – Enter Sandman
* GHOST – Enter Sandman
* JUANES – Enter Sandman
* RINA SAWAYAMA – Enter Sandman
* WEEZER – Enter Sandman
* SAM FENDER – Sad But True (Live)
* JASON ISBELL – Sad But True
* MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND FEAT. LA PERLA & GERA MX – Sad But True
* ROYAL BLOOD – Sad But True
* ST. VINCENT – Sad But True
* WHITE REAPER – Sad But True
* YB – Sad But True
* BIFFY CLYRO – Holier Than Thou
* THE CHATS – Holier Than Thou
* OFF! – Holier Than Thou
* PUP – Holier Than Thou
* COREY TAYLOR – Holier Than Thou
* CAGE THE ELEPHANT – The Unforgiven
* VISHAL DADLANI, DIVINE, SHOR POLICE – The Unforgiven
* DIET CIG – The Unforgiven
* FLATBUSH ZOMBIES FEAT. DJ SCRATCH – The Unforgiven
* HA*ASH – The Unforgiven
* JOSÉ MADERO – The Unforgiven
* MOSES SUMNEY – The Unforgiven
* J BALVIN – Wherever I May Roam
* CHASE & STATUS FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – Wherever I May Roam
* THE NEPTUNES – Wherever I May Roam
* JON PARDI – Wherever I May Roam
* SEBASTIAN – Don’t Tread On Else Matters
* PORTUGAL. THE MAN FEAT. AARON BEAM – Don’t Tread On Me
* VOLBEAT – Don’t Tread On Me
* THE HU – Through The Never
* TOMI OWÓ – Through The Never
* PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Nothing Else Matters
* MILEY CYRUS FEAT. WATT, ELTON JOHN, YO-YO MA, ROBERT TRUJILLO, CHAD SMITH – Nothing Else Matters
* DAVE GAHAN – Nothing Else Matters
* MICKEY GUYTON – Nothing Else Matters
* DERMOT KENNEDY – Nothing Else Matters
* MON LAFERTE – Nothing Else Matters
* IGOR LEVIT – Nothing Else Matters
* MY MORNING JACKET – Nothing Else Matters
* PG ROXETTE – Nothing Else Matters
* DARIUS RUCKER – Nothing Else Matters
* CHRIS STAPLETON – Nothing Else Matters
* TRESOR – Nothing Else Matters
* GOODNIGHT, TEXAS – Of Wolf And Man
* IDLES – The God That Failed
* IMELDA MAY – the god that failed
* CHERRY GLAZERR – My Friend Of Misery
* IZÏA – My Friend Of Misery
* KAMASI WASHINGTON – My Friend Of Misery
* RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – The Struggle Within

Back in 2017, METALLICA announced that it was preparing deluxe remastered versions of its “…And Justice For All” (1988) and “Metallica” (1991) albums and reached out to its hardcore fans for help to get content for the new editions. “…And Justice For All” has since been reissued for its 30th anniversary in 2018.

METALLICA’s self-titled LP in 2014 became the first album to sell 16 million copies since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991.

“Metallica” was already certified 16 times platinum on December 13, 2012 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for shipments in excess of 16 million copies in the U.S.

The album in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN’s 1997 record, “Come On Over”, as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era.

“Metallica” was the first of four collaborations with producer Bob Rock, with whom the band clashed throughout the recording of the disc.

METALLICA performed “the black album” in its entirety at a number of European festivals in 2012.

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BABYMETAL: New Revelation From The Fox God

Japanese pop-metal band BABYMETAL released a legend map depicting its entire 10th-anniversary year. It was also revealed that as the grand finale of BABYMETAL’s 10th anniversary year, on Sunday, October 10, the group’s 10-year legend since 2010 will be “sealed” from the world.

BABYMETAL’s 10th anniversary year began on October 10 of last year and since then, they have accomplished two major feats: BABYMETAL released their greatest hits album, “10 Babymetal Years”, and successfully completed a series of 10 performances called “10 Babymetal Budokan” at the Nippon Budokan between January to April 2021. The third and final feat to conclude their commemorative year will be “10 Babymetal Legends”, a series of projects looking back at BABYMETAL’s 10-year accomplishments.

Together, following the successful completion of the ten Budokan performances, it was announced that “Metal Resistance” 10th and final episode came to a close after a 10-year battle and BABYMETAL departed from this world to become a living legend.

Today’s announcement from the Fox God — the divine entity credited with creating BABYMETAL — reveals that on October 10 of this year, BABYMETAL will be “sealed” from the world. Since their last performance at the Nippon Budokan earlier this year, no future plans have been announced but it seems that BABYMETAL will disappear from sight for a while.

As the finale of BABYMETAL’s 10th anniversary, they are scheduled to release “10 Babymetal Budokan” on Blu-ray, DVD and CD formats on Wednesday, September 29 in Japan. Internationally, the “10 Babymetal Budokan” live album will be released digitally and on 2CD on October 1 via Babymetal Records, with a 2LP vinyl release near the end of the year.

“10 Babymetal Budokan” track listing:

01. Babymetal Death – Shin ver. –
02. Ljime, Dame, Zettai
03. Gimme Chocolate!!
04. Doki Doki Morning
05. GJ!
06. No Rain, No Rainbow
07. Distortion (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
08. PA PA YA!! (feat. F.HERO)
09. Megitsune
10. Karate
11. Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!
12. The One
13. Road Of Resistance

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